ENGINE OIL

I guess I'm an old timer...I still remember the old TV commercial with Andy Granatelli dipping one screwdriver in a can of oil and another in a can of STP...he could hold on to the one dipped in oil but the screwdriver dipped in STP kept slipping out of his fingers. 

I've used STP for forty years of driving and never had any problem of any kind with its use.  Of course, I may not have had a problem not using it either...I can't prove that one way or another.  I have had several engines with 100k+ miles on them torn down and rebuilt over the years and every one was clean as new inside.  The worst I had was a 1964 Pontiac 389 that just had a bit of slack in the timing chain.  Other than that, they were in great internal shape.  Each engine I had rebuilt did not need boring out, just honing.  That said something to me about regular maintenance.

I know all the arguments against STP or any oil additive...not needed, if you want heavier oil then just buy heavier oil, etc.  I still use it, as much as for any other reason my Vette and a few other cars don't get driven much and STP does leave a coating on the internal lubricated parts that doesn't easily drip off.

Many car manufacturers say oil additives are not needed, but they also sell their own brand of additive.  I guess they're trying to have it both ways...tell you it's not needed, but will sell you theirs.

Maybe I'm old fashioned and behind the times, and maybe I'm wasting money, but I still use STP.

A friend I used to work with ended up working for a Quaker State distributor.  He told me that his boss would fry him for saying so, but he felt that brand loyalty might be great, but the oil you buy from one company isn't the same as the oil they sold you a year ago.  The oil companies are always reformulating and reblending their products.  Sometimes due to changing auto requirements, sometimes due to EPA requirements.  The technology doesn't stand still.

He said it was really more important to stick with the same base oil.  There is paraffin based and asphalt based oil...the asphalt based oil takes more refining to be a good lubricant.  The best oils for lubricant purposes is Pennsylvania Grade, which is most of what is found in the continental US.  Much of the asphalt based oils (mid-East and other areas), gets blended into gasoline, diesel and heating oils.

It's not that they can't be blended to accomplish the same goal and do so equally, it's a matter of efficient refining.

That's not even taking synthetic oils into the equation.  That's another issue to argue about.

The GM Part #1052367 is the recommmended additive oil supplement. It's available from any GM dealers parts. It costs around $5.00 (discounted). It takes care of the additives that aren't in the new oils....... corvette440hp2008-04-05 09:34:46

I use Castrol GTX 10W30.  Had real good results with thermal breakdown on 2 VW bugs I used to own.  Maintained good oil pressure even when really hot.

Thicker oil will not make anything run cooler.  It may make things run hotter by increasing the oil pressure causing more power to be used by the oul pump.  Granted it would be so little that you would not even be able to measure it.  I run nothing but full synthitc oil in my cars.  I run the same wieght for all 5w40 amzoil.  It goes in to 1973 dodge power wagon, the 77 vette, the 82 vette, 07 scion tc, 2007 mustang, 2001 chevy s-10, and the 2006 chevy montie carlo.  the synthetics have properties that the conventuals cannot.  they start with a purer stock then the conventionals, run cooler, cleaner, last longer, have much better viscosty control, much better cold flow, more restence to thermal breakdown, and have polorised molcules which attatch themselves to the engine parts like magnets leaving you with much less wear at start-up.  Mike

When I was in Arizona this last week I stopped at a Vintage auto parts store.  Besides having some really nice autos (2 56 Chevs 1 convertible 6000 miles one hardtop 15000 miles, 53 Dodge, etc.) no Corvettes.  He asked me what I was using for my oil and I told him standard oil but had just learned about the zinc he showed me the product he uses.  Hicks Motor Oil it comes in a couple of formulas both have ZDDP in them and are designed for flat tappet cams. 

I purchased a case for $48.  He said he would order me a case and have it drop shipped to my house using actual shipping cost no extra charges.  If anyone is interested let me know and I will send you his email address.

You do have to use caution. Edelbrock recommends certain oils, but they use roller cams in their ZZ4 engines. Flat tappet cams would require different oil. corvette440hp2008-04-22 06:06:39

That is exactly what the guy at the vintage car parts said.  When he found I had an 82 Vet he stated that my Vet had Flat tappet cams and required special oil.  He went through the same issues that this discussion went through.  

He left it at that telling me to make sure I replaced the standard oil I had in the engine with at least an additive or an oil designed to be used om Flat tappet engines.